MagiSign: User Identification/Authentication Based on 3D Around Device Magnetic Signatures

In this paper, the authors present "MagiSign", a new user identification/authentication technique based on 3D magnetic signatures created in the space around a (mobile) device. The main idea is to influence magnetic (compass) sensor embedded in some mobile devices (e.g., iPhone 3GS, G1/2 Android) using a properly shaped magnet. The user draws 3D signatures in the 3D space around the device using a magnet (e.g., pen, rod, ring shaped). This is what they call as "3D Magnetic Signature". The temporal pattern of change in the magnetic field around the device is sensed and registered by the internally embedded magnetic sensor. For authentication/identification, new magnetic signature samples are compared with models created based on registered signatures.